You Want Us to Do Inclusion too?  - Creating

Schools for Everyone

Mara Sapon-ShevinMay 21, 2014Green Bay, Wisconsin

WHAT IS INCLUSION?

It’s not a place

It’s not a set of services

It’s a commitment to how we want the world to be

• What kinds of classrooms do we want?

• What kinds of schools do we want?• What kind of communities do we

want?• What kind of a world do we want?

One that will help explain

Why inclusion is really important

Why it’s hard in this current moment

Why we should do it anyway

Inclusion as a Revealing Tablet

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND TELL THEM ONE REASON YOU THINK INCLUSION IS

IMPORTANT AND ONE REASON YOU THINK IT’S REALLY

hard

But what about

• Common Core

• High Stakes Testing

• Privatization of Education

• Corporate Control

How do we create the kind of citizens we want?

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS:

5 characteristics of a good citizen

A good citizen is

• Competent• Well-informed• Knowledgable

• Caring• Involved• Responsible• Compassionate• Courageous• Powerful

We are at a crossroads:

Ten Things Best Learned in

Inclusive Communities

UNDERSTANDINGDIFFERENCES

Lesson #1:

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS:WHAT’S ONE ASPECT OF DIVERSITY YOU WISH SOMEONE HAD EXPLAINED TO YOU BETTER

Lesson #2:

PERSPECTIVE TAKING

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS:WHAT TOPICS OR LESSONS COULD YOU TEACH THROUGH THIS BOOK?

Lesson #3

REAL SAFETY

Lessons from the Kindergarten

Jeff Tate

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS:

WHAT MAKES A PLACE OR SITUATION FEEL “SAFE” TO YOU?

Lesson #4:

EXCLUSION IS PAINFUL(for everyone!)

You Can’t Say You Can’t Play

Vivian Paley

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS:

YOUR MEMORIES OF SCHOOL RELATED TO EXCLUSION AND CLIQUES

Lesson #5:

COMPASSION

Lesson #6:

HONESTY ABOUTHARD TOPICS

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS:WHAT’S A TOPIC ABOUT WHICH YOU FIND IT HARD TO FIND THE RIGHT WORDS TO TALK TO YOU CHILD?

Lesson #7:

GIVING AND RECEIVINGHELP GRACIOUSLY

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DISCUSS:

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU CAN GIVE HELP ABOUT?

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU NEED HELP WITH?

Lesson #8:

COURAGE

Lesson #9:RESPONSIBILITY

TO ONE ANOTHER

What the Children of Jowonio Know

How do we keep doing this important stuff:

Seek alliesSeize every moment to build community Educate about diversity whenever and

wherever you canTeach for social justice Remember what YOU know is important

Lesson #10:

FAITH AND HOPE

The world I want to live in:

Danny and Tommy ----- this is what inclusion can teach us

The content of this presentation is the property of Mara Sapon-Shevin, Ed.D., and may not be reused or

redistributed, in whole or in part, without her consent.

Participants of the Wisconsin State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) may download and use the presentation for

purposes of the 2014 SPDG Spring Institute.